Christchurch City Council appreciates High Court ruling

Christchurch
City Council appreciates the clarification yesterday’s
High Court ruling has brought to the Council’s
Earthquake-prone, Dangerous and Insanitary Buildings
Policy.

Christchurch City Council General Manager
Regulation and Democracy Services, Peter Mitchell says,
“The ruling makes it clear the Council can still encourage
people to structurally strengthen their building to 67 per
cent of the New Building Standard (NBS).

“The only
change is that we cannot use section 124 of the Building Act
to compel building owners to strengthen their building to a
level above 34 per cent of NBS. The target of strengthening
a building to 67 per cent of New Building Standard still
remains something for any building owner to consider and the
Council will continue to encourage people to think carefully
about structural strengthening.”

Last year the Insurance
Council of New Zealand filed a 'Statement of Claim' with the
High Court against the Christchurch City Council for a
judicial review of the Council's decision to adopt the
Earthquake-prone, Dangerous and Insanitary Buildings Policy
which falls under the Building Act 2004.

In response to
the earthquakes, in an extraordinary meeting on 10 September
2010, the Council adopted a revised Earthquake-prone,
Dangerous and Insanitary Buildings Policy. A new structural
strengthening target of 67 per cent of the NBS was at the
centre of the revised policy.

Mr Mitchell says the
Council also fully supports the Ministry of Business
Innovation and Employment’s Building Seismic Performance
consultation, which includes a meeting in Christchurch on 19
February.

“The consultation will provide an important
opportunity for the public to consider all the issues across
New Zealand to do with earthquake prone
buildings.”

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